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Policy must not impede Europe to buy Iranian gas: int’l experts

Politics Materials 3 April 2009 09:02 (UTC +04:00)
Policy must not impede Europe to buy Iranian gas: int’l experts

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 2 / Trend , D.Khatinoglu, D.Ibrahimova/ Europe should not preclude the possibility to import Iranian gas, despite differences with Tehran over Iran's nuclear program. The lack of sufficient funding to construct the Persian Pipeline may become a stumbling-block.
"Europe needs certainly to explore different options in order to export gas to the Old World. So since Iran as one of the biggest gas reserves in the world, the European union it is worth to keep Iran to consideration, as energy supplier to Europe," expert on gas supplies to Europe Arianna Checchi said.
Persian Pipeline would pass through territory of Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea to Greece and Italy, Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said on Tuesday. However, European countries have repeatedly stated that they would not purchase Iranian gas from the Nabucco project, still the Iranian nuclear challenge is resolved.
Europe and the United States have cast doubt on the peaceful character of Iran's nuclear enrichment program, while Tehran insists on peaceful purposes. Iran was repeatedly imposed on economic sanctions to halt enrichment of nuclear weapons.
The Nabucco project worth 7.9 billion euro ($10.1 billion) will deliver Azerbaijani and Central Asian gas to the EU. Construction of the pipeline is expected to commence in 2011, and first supply will be commence in 2014. Some experts said about the possible use of Iranian gas.
Experts say despite disputes on Tehran's nuclear program, Europe must not exclude the possibility to purchase Iranian gas.
"Europe is not going to import gas from Iran tomorrow, in a year or so thing. But in the long run we have to keep this option open. Now, the gas import from Iran is unfeasible, as the construction of pipelines needs time, including intergovernmental agreements and one should know how much gas could actually go through it.
At the time when all matters relating to the gas pipeline will be solved, the problem with Iran's nuclear program could be resolved.
The nuclear issue might be solved, especially considering the new administration in the United States to Iran and Obama's will to hold negotiations with Iran, Checchi said
Obama became the first American president, who said the possibility of negotiating with Iran without preconditions over the last 30 years.
Iran supplied gas to Turkey without fail within two years. It gives grounds to trust Iran as energy resources supplier, Iranian oil expert Muhammad Sahimi living in the U.S. said. According to Turkish State Company Botas, Iranian gas import to Turkey will exceed 9.5 billion cubic meters in 2009. The similar plans are preserved till 2020. But Russia being key gas supplier to Europe, Asia and Africa uses it as pressure key factor on Europe in case of disagreement with policy conducted by NATO in Europe, Sahimi said.
The U.S. intends to place radar in Czechia and ten rocket-interceptors in Poland under pretence of rocket threat from Iran within the North Atlantic Alliance by 2010. Russia fears that these systems will threaten its security. But after Barack Obama becomes the U.S President, people often say about suspension or abolition of deployment of the third position region in Europe.
Iran's progress in development of nuclear program is so obvious that it is practically impossible to stop Tehran and return to zero level of uranium enrichment, Sahimi said. So, Europe, the U.S. and the Islamic Republic must achieve compromise on this issue, Los Angeles based South California University Professor Sahimi told Trend over phone.
Even if Europe is interested in diversification of supplies, political motives can hamper it to buy Iranian gas, Iranian expert on gas Narsi Ghorban said. "If Europe is not willing to buy Iranian gas on political motives, gas pipeline from Iran to Europe will not be constructed," Iranian Narkangan Gas To Liquid International Co., Executive Director, the International Institute on the Caspian Region Ghorban told trend News via E-mail.   
But if political problems between Iran and West are solved, shortage of financing will hamper laying of gas pipeline from Iran to Europe. The Islamic Republic of Iran ranks second in the world on the volumes of proven gas resources totaling 28.4 trillion cubic meters.
Iran has big natural gas reserves. But it is necessary to develop new gas fields to ensure feeding of Persian pipeline, Kekki said.
Gas has not been extracted in such volumes yet. So, Iran should attract foreign investments, she said.
Theoretically, the Islamic Republic of Iran has gas reserves to implement export supplies, practically, meeting of own needs is priority for the country, Ghorban said.
Gas production must increase to create opportunities for export.
"Presently, there is no great financial aid to construct new gas pipelines from this region to Europe. A lack of investments will postpone Iranian gas exports," Ghorban said.
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